COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Rider women top Fairfield, reach .500

LAWRENCEVILLE — When Lynn Milligan addressed her players at halftime Thursday night, she reminded them that the team that showed up in the first 20 minutes wasn’t who they were.

“I reminded them ever so gently,” said Milligan, making it easy to read between the lines.

Message received.Buoyed by a 19-2 run and some clutch shooting from Sironda Chambers, the Rider women completed a season sweep of Fairfield with a 55-44 victory at Alumni Gymnasium.

This was just the fifth time the Broncs have beaten the Stags in the team’s 35 meetings.

Rider (11-11, 6-5) moved into a three-way tie for third place with Iona and Niagara, just one game behind Fairfield (13-9, 7-4).

The Broncs face the Gaels in New Rochelle Saturday.

“I don’t think it’s bothering anyone or freaking anyone out,” said senior center Caitlin Bopp, who returned from a stomach illness to score 10 points in 30 minutes. “We already know how hard we worked to get here. I think we’re all excited to be in this position.”

Following an offensive first half in which it shot 25.9 percent and scored 16 points, Rider came to life behind Chambers.

The senior guard scored 12 of the Broncs’ final 19 points. Her 3-pointer with 6:50 remaining — part of the 19-2 run — gave Rider its first lead of the second half, 41-39.

“I just had confidence in my shot,” said Chambers, who finished with 16 points on 5 of 10 from the field. “In transition, and nobody was on me. I just felt it. It went in and it got the team going. I love hitting big shots like that.”

“Gutsy shot that 3, wasn’t it?” said Milligan, who matched her career-high for wins in a season. “It’s February and everyone says you win with guards, but in February, senior guards, you count on them. That’s what they have to do.”

Chambers followed that with a driving layup and the Broncs never looked back.

“She was great,” Bopp said. “I love giving her the ball and her knocking them down. I’ve got confidence in her shooting.”

MyNeshia McKenzie led Rider with 18 points.

The Broncs forced Fairfield into 16 turnovers, leading to 20 points.

Katie Cizynski and Felicia DaCruz finished with 10 points each for the Stags.

Fairfield took a 37-29 lead on a jumper by Alexys Vazquez with 10:24 left but didn’t hit another field goal — they did have two free throws — for 8:21 when Vazquez finally answered Rider’s 19-2 spurt from behind the arc.

Chambers, as she did the entire second half, answered for the Broncs with a 3 of her own.

“I have to make big shots like that,” Chambers said. “That’s what I have to do to give our team a win.”